Harry Edward Peckham moved to the area in 1914 and purchased 120 acres. That was the start of what has become Pleasant Ridge Farm. Two generations later, the Peckhams still live on the original homestead.
In addition to pumpkins and Christmas trees, the Peckhams raise roughly 1000 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. They purchased the property for the pumpkin patch and tree farm in 1986 and the Red Barn Gift Shop Structure came from a farm that they purchased in 1976. The Pleasant Ridge name came from the one room school that the current owner, Harry Peckham, attended for 6 years.
Harry's wife, Juanita, handles the retail sales in the Red Barn Gift Shop. Harry Peckham jokes, "Our arrangement when we started 25 years ago was that if I grew it, she’d sell it".
Their daughter Angela and her husband Stacey Davis come from the Topeka area a few weekends each season to help where needed. Their two kids, Evander and Marley tag along as well to add their hands to the help.
Their daughter, Windy, and her husband, Clayton Cummings, also try to help out occasionally during the season. Their daughter Ryleigh works for them as our “Safety Director” making sure guests playing in the haymaze and bounce house play safe.
Two of the employees have been with the farm for 5 years and are almost family. Kaitlyn, our Sales Director, runs the cash register in the sales barn and Brian, our Director of Transportation, drives the tractor for the hayride to the pumpkin patch and the tree farm.
Pleasant Ridge is also involved in several associations around the nation including the Haunted Attraction Association, National Christmas Tree Association, and the Kansas Christmas Tree Grower's Association. Harry Peckham has been the Treasurer for the KCTGA for over 20 years!
"With the help of our friends and loving family we are able to share family traditions with our guests year after year.
We look forward to sharing our tradition with you this season!"